Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-02-17
THE MAKING OF NEW COUNTIES.

THE MAKING OF NEW COUNTIES.
There is a good deal of contention in
the Legislature over the proposed division
of counties, and in every case there is an
array of petitioners and protestants.
These matters we look upon as of purely
local concern, and believe they should be
decided in accordance with the wishes of
the people. We have neither part nor lot
in them, and wish none But aside from
these facts, and the natural regret that To-
cal matters should absorb so much of val
liable time of the State, there are certain
principles of government involved that are
of profound interest, and to which all may
proftably give thought. In new countries
changes in the boundaries of counties are
almost constant as State building goes on,
and California is no exception. The rea-
sons are obvious: as the land is settled and
cities built, the centers Of population de-
termine, lines of travel are established,
commerce dictates trade routes and depots,
and public convenience makes itself prom
inent in demands for consideration. Hence
it is that we find in every State there has
through all its early history been a great
deal of county formation and reformation
going on. Let us see how it has been
with u.s.
Under the Act of 1851 the counties of
California were Butte, Calaveras, Colusa,
Contra Costa, Ell Dorado, Klamath, Los
Angeles, Marin, Mariposa, Mendocino,
Monterey. Napa, Nevada, Placer, Sacra-
mento, San Diego, San Francisco, San
joaquin, San Luis obispo, Santa Barbara,
Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Shasta, Solano
Sonoma, Suffer, Trinity, Tuolumne, Yolo
and Yuba. Prior thereto Santa Cruz was
carved from Brancifcrte, Nevada from
Yuba, aud Placer from Suffer. In 1851
then, we had twenty-nine counties, and
since then have SO subdivided them as to
give us twenty-three new counties. In
every instance the subdivision was made in
answer to the demand of the people for
consideration of their convenience.
The carving process by which these
counties were made may prove of more
than passing interest, and we go somewhat
into detail for the historical value in
volved:
tod Of s1,. e
Contra Costa and Santa Clara, March, 1858
Alpine was carved out of the Calaveras Sierra
Region and the east part of RI Dorado, and more
territory from Amador aud Mono, March, 1851
Amador out of the north part of Calaveras,
April, 1885, and re-bounded April 1863
Butte has been the subject of much carving
Plumas took some of her north territory, March,
1851. Tehama her northwest April 1856 and her
boundaries have since been frequently relo-
Gated.
Colusa was, in April, 1856, made to cut of all
the territory OF Butte east of the Sacramento
river and west of Butte slough, and portion of |
Butte was given to Yuba, March, 1850.
Calayeras lost her east section to form Mono |
April, 1861, and Fresno and Mariposa were also |
shorn for like purpose
Del Norte was formed from the north part of |
Klamath, March, 1857, and the latter county |
was wholly absorbed by Siskiyou and Hum |
Fresno was carved from Maripesa, MERGED and |
Tulare, April 1856.
Humboldt was formed originally from Trinity |
Klamath, March. 1874.
lnyo was the childof Tulare and Mono and |
Its birth date is 1866.
Kern was formed out of Tulare and Los An
geles in 1866.
Lake was created ont OF the north part of |
Napa, May, 1861.
Lassen was taken from Plumas and Shasta, |
April, 1s6i.
Modoc was carved from the east of siskiyou. |
February, 1874.
MERGED was born April. 1855, of the southwest |
am sf,fM rir
Mono, as shown, came out of Fresno and Cal |
averis and Mariposil April, 1851.
Plumas was taken, as we lave shown, out of |
Buttc's territory March. 1854.
Siskiyou was carved from Shasta in 1852.
Stanislaus was stripped from Tuolumne in |
1850 and from San joaquin, February. 1850.
san Mateo was created cut OF San Francisco |
in 1857.
Sierra was formed April. 1852, out of Yuba.
san Demanding was carved out OF Los Ang- |
eleS in 1853
San Benito was carved from the east part of |
Monterey, February, 1874.
Tehama was taken from the southwest of |
Shasta April, 1856.
Tulare was carved from Mariposa, April. 1852. |
Ventura was carved from the east part of |
santa Barbara, March, 1877.
Yet, with all this shifting of lines, there |
were not three cases where protests were
not made against the new formations. In |
all communities there is a radically con- |
sentative element that dislike to abandon |
old ruts and beaten ways for new roads |
and experimental paths, and with this |
class we find no fault FOR they are checks
upon extremists, and thus genuine con-
servatism is fostered by their resistance.
Counties, as has been well said, are sub |
divisions for the convenience of the peo-
pie. But they are absolute needs, since it
would not be possible to conduct the affairs
of communities economically without these
aids to justice. They enable us better to
grade our representative system, and Sc
cure truer, because closer, representation.
and to enforce upon the unwilling citizen
compliance with the demand society makes
upon him for duty contributions, rs well
as enabling society to better protect itself
by local guards set up by these small
groups. Now we take it no one will dis
pute the proposition that the county is
best proportional which enables its people
more easily to do public duty, that exacts
least of them, and at smallest cost to their
time and their purses. The citizen, there
fore, shoull be near to the government, for
long distance from it unduly taxes his time.
nocket and business in reaching it, and
taxes his property unduly also in the
heavy cost created by officials in serving !
process upon him. 1t must be agreed, |
therefore, that there is strength in the